Concrete-wall-forming machine.



No. 784,084. PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905 G. H. TRUXBLL.

CONCRETE WALL FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. 1904.

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flmm 11 '12 @Tlvzzzgyav PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

G. H. TRUXELL.

CONCRETE WALL FORMING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 28. 1904.

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CONCRETE WALL FORMING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED HAY as. 1904.

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-rrn STATES Patented March 7', 1905.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,084, dated March '7, 1905.

Application filed May 28, 1904. Serial No. 210,207. A

To all whom it WMLZ/ concern:

.Be it known that I, Gnonea H. TRUXELL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Greensbu rg,in the county of VVestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concrete -\Vall -Forming Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has relation to concretewall-forming machines, and has for its object to provide a machine of this type wherein concrete sections may be formed in such a manner as to construct a wall, abutment, or the like.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine of this type which can be readily placed upon the ground on which the concrete wall is to be constructed. and 1 have provided novel means in connection with the machine whereby hollow concrete sections may be formed and the different angles of the wall constructed from the machine without moving the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide. a machine of this type wherein novel mechanism is employed for forming a wall composed of a plurality of concrete sections, means being employed to form each section with a hollow core and with any suitable mold or design that is generally used upon walls of this character.

All of the above construction will be hereinafter more fully described, and referring to the drawings accompanying this application like numerals 01'' reference will be used to indicate like parts throughout the several views, in which-- Figure 1 is a iierspective view ol a portion of a wall, showing a part 01 the machine as constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view oi the same. Fig. 2 is a detail view of a yoke employed on my machine. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the concrete-tvall-fo1ming machine. Fig. l'is an edge view of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail View of one corner of the molding-box. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the core employed in connection with my improved machine. Fig. 7

is a detail vertical sectional view of a guideconcrete-t rming device.

roller constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a supporting-plate forming a part of my improved machine. Figs. 9 and 10 are detail perspective views of dies employed for forming moldings and the like upon the concrete sections; and Figs. 11 and 12 are vertical sectional views of the forming-box, showing the molding-dies in position therein. lha'l r-irence will first be had to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, wherein l have shown the main framework of my improved machine, which consists practically ol an overhead trackway fromwh ich the concrete-sectionlormi 1 1g boxes are suspended. The reterence-numorals 1 1. indicate standards which are mounted upon the groundupon which the concrete wall or abutments are to be constructed, and prior to constructing said wall the plan of the wall or the like is laid out upon the ground and these vertical standards erected upon the side lines of the wall, whereby the concrete sections forming the wall may be constructed and. formed by the aid of the overhead scal'i'olding, which will now be described. These vertical standards 1 1 upon their outer ends are provided with the triangular brackets 2 2, upon the outer ends of which are supported the track-sections 3 3, and upon therear lacesol' thevortical standardsl l are attached the horizontal ln'acing-strips 4; 1:. Asillustrated in Figs. 1. and! of the drawings, 1 have shown the concrete wall as being constructed at dilierent angles, and where it is desired to construct a wall of this character it is necessary that some means be employed to construct the wall at these angles and l'orm the concrete sections without removing the In order to accomplish this, I employ turn -tables upon the iranmwork where it is desired to constrmst a wall at adiliercnt angle from that which has already been constructed, and the referencenumeral 5 indicates an angular strip, and at the vertex of the angular sides is a boss 6, through which passes a vertical rod 7, upon which is secured a triangular bracket 8, this bracket being constructed similar to the brackets 2 2, but provided with a rearwardly extending arm 9, to which is connected at U shaped guide 10, the ends ol this Lil-shaped guide being secured, as indicated at 11 11, to the movable track 12, which upon its outer ends is provided with tongues 14 14 to engage in either of the grooves 15 15 of the track-sections 3 3. The referencenumerals 16 16 indicate guideways which are carried by the horizontal portion of the brackets 2 2 to steady the movement of the guide 10. In Fig. 2 of the drawings I have also illustrated another manner of constructing the turn-tables, wherein the brace 17 is mounted between the horizontal braees 4, carried upon the rear faces of the vertical standards 1 1.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, wherein I illustrate the mechanism employed for forming the concrete sections, this mechanism being shown upon the framework and overhead track just described, and in constructing this mechanism I employ a hanger 18, in which is journaled an axle 19, upon which is mounted a wheel 20, which is adapted to travel upon the track-sections 3. This hanger is provided with a boss 21, also with a boss 22 upon its end, through which is adapted to slide a rod 23, upon which is mounted the concrete-section-forming mechanism. This rod upon its lower end is provided with a roller-wheel 24, which is shown in detail in Fig. 7 of the drawings, this roller-wheel being held upon said rod by a screw-threaded nut 25, which also carries a depending pin 26, which is adapted to rest upon a support 27, constructed "at the base of the vertical standards 1 1, the rollerwheel 24 being adapted to engage this support and guide the movement of the concrete-forming mechanism during its operation. The rod 23 is provided with the screw-threads 28 and is also provided with the tarn'wheels 29 and 30. The reference-numeral 31 indicates a U-shaped bracket, the ends of which are provided with bosses 32 32, through which the rod 23 passes, and between these bosses and upon the rod is mounted the one turnwheel 30. Upon the top of this U-shaped bracket are formed the upwardly-extending arms 33, between which are journaled ashaft 34, upon which is mounted the sprocket-wheel 35, over which passes a chain 36, which has its one end secured upon the boss 21, as indi cated at 37. To rotate the sprocket-wheel, a crank-handle 38 is secured to the shaft 34, and the reference-numeral 39 indicates a pawl which is pivoted to the bracket 31, whereby the wheel 35 may be locked and prevented from rotating in either direction. Upon the lower end of the bracket 31 is secured the block 40, in which is mounted the horizontal tracks 41 41, and secured to the outer ends of these tracks are depending hangers 42, which are adapted to support the mold for forming the concrete sections. From the tracks 41 are suspended by the L-shaped hanger 43 the core 44, the movement of the core upon the tracks being limited by a screw 45. To one of the depending arms of the hanger 42 is hinged, as indicated at 46, the molding box 47, which consists of a rectangular-shaped box, the two ends 48 being hinged to the front wall of the box, as indicated at 49 49, and these ends are locked to the rear wall 50 of the box by an angle-arm 51, which is hinged to the end walls 48, asindicated at 52, and this anglearm is locked against the rear wall 50 by a set-screw 53. Formed integral with the rear wall of the box is a plate 54, which. is supported upon brackets 55, secured to the rear wall of the box, and upon this plate is mounted a guideplate 56, this plate being provided with a longitudinal slot 57, whereby the same may be adjusted upon the plate 54 by a set-screw 58, which passes down through the slot 57 and engages in the plate 54. To this plate are secured, as indicated at 59, the depending arms of the hanger 42, and the guide-plate 56 is provided with a slot 60, through which the rod 23 passes.

In Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive, I have illustrated dies which are employed in connection with the molding-box whereby imitations, seams, moldings, and other designs may be formed upon the concrete sections during their formation, and to accomplish this I employ the dies 61, which are intended to form the vertical seams or moldings of the block. This die is provided with a groove 62 and with a spring 63,secured to its rear face, whereby the same may be placed in the molding-box, as

shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings, and to form the horizontal seams or moldings the front wall of the box is provided with a slot 64, into which is placed the die 65, which is also provided with a groove 66. These dies are provided whereby as natural an imitation of stone will be constructed as possible in forming concrete walls of this type, and where any configuration or design is to be formed upon the wall or sections the front wall of the molding-box can be provided with suitable indentations or projections to form any desired design or configuration.

In constructing a concrete wall the moldingbox is moved along the overhead track until a position has been reached where it is desired to form a section, and the core having been placed in the molding-box in the proper position the concrete is placed in the space existing between the box and the core, and this concrete is permitted to settle a sutficient length of time, at which time the crank-handle 38 is rotated and the molding-box and core withdrawn from the concrete, leaving the same in a compact and permanent position, forming a concrete section, of which the wall is constructed. Vhen a layer of these sections has been molded, the molding-box is elevated upon the rod 23 by rotating the turn-wheel 30, and

another layer of sections is laid, the core of each box being in vertical alinement with the veaoea core of the section directly beneath it. To facilitate the perfect and accurate alinement of each section in relation to the other, 1 cmploy the plate 56, which is adapted to rest against the vertical standards 1 1 and guide the movement of the molding-box, this plate also serving as a platform or table upon which workmen may place their tools, the rear edge of said plate being provided with a strip 67 to prevent any tools laid upon said table from falling over the edge of the guide-plate. l have provided the hinged ends of the corebox whereby in case the dies 61 and 65 are used these ends of the box may be swung open to remove the die 65 without disturbing or disfiguring the sect-ion during its formation, and these hinged sides are essential where a design or configuration is molded in the face of the section. It will be noted that any de sired size or form of core may be used for forming the cavities of the section, and a plurality of these cores may be suspended from the tracks 41 when it is desired to form more than one cavity in the concrete section. These concrete walls are constructed upon concrete footings, the top of these footings being on a level with the ground, and the wall is built up upon these footings to a desired height, and where the height of the wall to be constructed is such that the standards 1 '1 cannot be constructed to this height the overhead track and its appurtenant parts are moved to the top of the section of wall completed and from there is again operated to build another section. During the construction of the wall it is only necessary at times to use the end walls of the molding-box, especially upon the corners or when a new layer of wall is being constructed, and when the sections of concrete are laid or formed one against the other one of the end walls is removed, whereby the concrete section may be formed in engagement with the section of concrete previously formed into a wall. l Vhere a section of concrete is to be placed between two sections previously formed, both of the end walls 48 are removed by swinging them upon their hinges, and the front and rear walls of the box are held together by the yoke 68, (illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings,) this yoke being placed over the top edges of the molding-box, whereby it will not interfere with the ends of the concrcte which are to engage the ends of the concrcte sections previously laid. the side walls of the molding-box of a greater depth than the ends the forming of a section of concrete upon a previously-formed section is facilitated by the sides of the box projecting down over the previously-laid section, whereby the section of concrete being formed will be in vertical alinement with the first section, and to further facilitate the perfect and accurate construction of the wall I have employed the roller-wheel 24 and the pin 26, carried by the end of. the rod 23. The sup- By forl'n i n port 27, which is an ordinary timber, is provided to position the rod J) and to act as a guide for the same. After a layer of concrete sections have been formed and it is desired to move the molding-box to form another section the crank-handle 38 is rotated, winding the chain 36 upon the wheel 35, the pawl 39 preventing the wheel from moving backwardly, and upon the rotation of the wheel the concrete-molding box is raised until the boss 32 abuts against the wheel 29, the height to which said box is to be raised having been regulated by the wheel 29 upon the screwthreads 23 of the rod 23. The height to which the box is raised generally corresponds to the height of the concrete section previously formed, and upon the box having been raised to this position the wheel 30 is rotated until it engages the bottom edge of the boss this wheel supporting the box in this position, and itis now ready to be moved along to form other concrete sections. To disengage the pin 26 from the support 27, the wheel 29 is rotated, which will raise the rod 23, whereby the box may be moved along the track-sections As the box is now suspended from the boss 21 and the whole weight of the same is upon the chain 36, the tendency of the box will be to swing inwardly, and to overcome this l have provided the roller-wheel 2}, which will bear against the support 27 and prevent the same from swinging inwardly.

By constructing the overhead trackway and scaffolding it will be observed that the molding-box maybe moved along the track to any desired position or may be run upon the turntable and swung around to travel upon another track-section to form an angled portion of the wall. The advantages gained by this construction will be readily apparent to those skilled in building concrete walls, and while If have herein shown and described the preferred form of constructing my improved concrete-wall-forming machine it will be noted that various changes may be made in the construction of the overhead track, the general arrangement of the mechanisms employed in operating the molding-box, and other slight changes may be made in the construction of my improved machine without departing from the scope of the invention.

What .l claim is W 1. ln a machine of the type set forth, the combination with an overhead in'ackway, a turn-table constructed upon said trackway, of a molding-box suspended from said trackway, and means for adjusting said molding-box, substantially as d escri bed.

2. In a machine of the type set forth, the combination with a trackway, a turn-table constructed upon said trackway, of a box suspended from said trackway, a core adjustably mounted in said box, and means for adjusting said box.

3. In a machine of the type set forth, the

combination with atrackway, a turn-table constructed upon said trackway, of a molding-box suspended from said trackway, a core adjustably mounted in said box, means for elevating said box, and means for guiding the movement of said box.

4. In a machine of the type set forth, the combination with a framework, a trackway supported upon said framework, a turn-table constructed upon said trackway, of a moldingbox suspended from said trackway, adjustable cores mounted in said box, auxiliary dies carried by said box, means for adjusting said box.

5. In a machine of the type set forth, the combination with a framework, a turn-table constructed upon said track way, of a moldingbox suspended from said trackway, means for elevating said molding-box, and means for guiding the movement of said box.

6. In a machine of the type set forth, the combination with an overhead trackway, turntables constructed upon said trackway, of a box suspended from said trackway, means for elevating said box. means for limiting the movement of said box, and means for guiding the movement of said box.

7. In a machine of the type set forth, the combination with a framework, a trackway supported upon said framework, turn-tables constructed upon said trackway, of a box suspended from said trackway, adjustable cores mounted in said box, means for elevating said box, means for supporting said box in elevated position, and means for guiding the movement of said box.

8. In a concrete-wall-forming machine, the combination with a trackway, of a-moldingbox suspended from the trackway, a core adjustably mounted in said box, means for moving said molding-box laterally, and means for elevating the said molding-box.

9. In a machine of the type set forth, the combination of a trackway, turn-tables constructed upon said trackway, a box suspended from said trackway, adjustable cores mounted in said box, means for elevating said box,

means for supporting said box, 1n an elevated position, means for limiting the movement of said box, and means for guiding the movement of said box, substantially as described.

10. In a machine of the type set forth, the combination with a framework, a trackway supported by said framework, turn-tables constructed upon said trackway, of a molding-box suspended from said trackway and adapted to travel thereon, means for locking said box upon said trackway, adjustable cores mounted in said box, and means for elevating said box, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

11. Ina concrete-wall-forming machine, the combination of a trackway, turn-tables arranged thereon,a molding-box suspended from the trackway and adapted to travel thereon, means for moving said molding-box on the trackway, and means for elevating said box.

12. In a concrete-wall-forming machine, the combination of a trackway, turn-tables arranged upon said trackway, a molding-box suspended from the trackway and adapted to travel thereon, means for moving said molding-box on the trackway, an adjustable core mounted in said box, and means for elevating said box.

13. In a concrete-wall-forming machine, a suitably-supported trackway, a molding-box suspended from said trackway and adapted to travel thereon, means for locking said box at desired positions on the trackway, and means for elevating said box.

M. In a machine of the type set forth, a suitably-supported overhead trackway, a moldingbox suspended from said trackway and adapted to travel thereon,'means for limiting the movement of said box, and means for guiding said box in its movement.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in v 

